Car roof



Sept 7, 1937. c. D. BONSALL CAR ROOF Filed 001;. 28, 1936 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 106 47-7-0 eve-k Sept. 7, 1937. c. D. BONSALL CAR ROOF 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Oct. 28, 1936 III Patented Sept. 7, 1937 CAR ROOF Charles David Bonsall, Pittsburgh, Pa assignor to P. H. Murphy Company, New Kensington, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Application October 28, 1936, Serial No. 107,938

8 Claims. (Cl. 108-5.4)

My invention relates to metal car roofs and particularly to that type of car roof wherein the roof sheets span from side plate to side plate and are'formed into a longitudinal series of alternating upper and lower panels. Principal objects of the invention are to minimize the vertical space occupied by the roof, to locate the roof as high above the rails as the established tunnel clearance line will permit, to provide for the replacement of roofs of old cars with new roofs at a higher level so as to increase the storage capacity of the car, and to provide a runway at the ridge of the car without increasing the overall height of the car. The invention consists in the construction and in the parts and arrangements and combinations of parts hereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings which form part of this specification and wherein like reference numerals refer to like references wherever they occur,

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary plane view of a car roof embodying my invention;

Fig. 2 is a vertical transverse section through 5 one-half of the roof on the line 22 in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a vertical longitudinal section through the roof at the ridge;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged vertical transverse section similar to Fig. 2 through the eaves portion of the car;

. other modification.

Fig. 5 is a vertical transverse section at the ridge on the line 5-5 inFig. 1;

Fig. 6 is a similar section on the line 6-6 in i Fig. 7 is a section similar to Fig. 6 showing a slightly modified construction; and

Fig. 8 is a view similar The construction illustrated in the accompanying drawings comprises metal side plates A of the car, metal carlines B, whose ends are secured to the respective side plates, and metal roof sheets 0, Whose endsare bent down and secured flatwise to the outer faces of the respective side plates.

The side plates illustrated in the drawing are to Fig. 4, showing an-- out the main portion thereof but, at some distance inwardly from each end, there is a break 6 or change of direction in its lower surface,

\ whereby the depth of the body member of the carline decreases from such breaks to each end of said body member.

The body member of the carline is shaped so that its upper surface is substantially parallel with the established tunnel clearance outline (indicated by broken lines X) except that opposite the angles or breaks in said outline, the upper surface of the carline ,is rounded, as indicated at 1,8 to connect theadjacent straight stretches, 9, 10, ll, of said surface.

Each carline hasend members I2 riveted or otherwise secured to its body member. As illustrated in Fig. 4, the end member is in the form of a bracket with a vertical leg l2a disposed flatwise against the outer face of the upstanding inner leg 2 of the side plate, and with an inwardly and upwardly inclined leg I3 at the top of said vertical leg [2a. The inner portion of the inclined leg 13 constitutes a seat I4 for the end of the body member, which rests flatwise thereon and is rigidly secured thereto, as by rivets [5 ex-- tending through its lateral flanges 5. Preferably the portion l6 of the inwardly extending leg of the bracket between said seat I4 and the vertical leg is pressed up, as shown in Fig. 4, in angular form to aiiord a wide bearing for the eaves portion of the overlying roof sheet; but this pressed up portion may be omitted, as shown in Fig. 8. The sheet-bearing portion of the sloping leg of the bracket parallels the adjacent portion of the established tunnel clearance outline, while the carline seat portion of said legis low enough to make the upper surface of the body member of the carline flush with the upper surface of said sheet-bearing portion.

.The roof sheets 0 illustrated in the drawings are of the neutral axis type wherein the roof sheets are organized into a longitudinal series of ribs alternating with channels which cooperate in carrying the roof load after the manner of a beam supported on the side plates. In the construction illustrated, the margins ll of adjacent sheets rest on the body member of a carline and are welded thereto and to each other by welds I8 which fill the space between them. The middle portion IQ of each sheet is depressed longitudinally of the sheet to form the channel or lower panel of the sheet. As shown in Fig. 4, the depth of the channel begins to decrease at a point along the line of the breaks 6 in the end portions of the carlines and continues to decrease to the vanish- Assuming that the outer surface of the roof sheet,

at the outermost point of contact of said sheet with the carline bracket, coincides with the tunnel clearance outline, said sheet has a stretch 20 which slopes inwardly and upwardly, at the same angle as the clearance outline and with the upper surface of the sheet substantially coinciding with said outline, to a point near the break 2| in said outline, from which point the sheet curves upwardly and inwardly, after the mannerof the carline, to a point beyond said break, where the upper surface of the sheet again coincides with the clearance outline and has a straight stretch 22 which follows said outline to a point somewhat outwardly beyond thenext break 23 in the clearance outline. From this point, the sheet again curves upwardly and inwardly beyond said break and merges into a straight horizontal stretch 24 which extends beyond thelongitudinal center line of the can The other half of the sheet is the same as that just described. It is noted that the horizontal ridge stretch 24 of the sheet does not-coincide with the established clearance line but is far enough below the same to accommodate the runway hereinafter described.

In order to provide a runway, the spaces between adjacent 'roof.ribs are bridged by members 25 disposed in the channels with their upper surfaces substantially flush with the upper surfaces of the roof ribs. In the construction illustrated, such member comprises a plate with downturned marginal flanges 26, the end flanges beingpreferably-welded to the sides of the channel. The longitudinal middle portion of the runway member has a hollow channel or depressed rib2l formed therein and the longitudinal margins 28 of the member are paneled or raised slightly. The channel or hollow of the longitudinal rib is filled with mastic asphalt 29 or like plastic material which, whendry, will adhere to the metal and has a fair degree of tensile strength which may be increased by fibrous or like reinforcement. This mastic asphalt is also spread over the body portion of the runway member and preferably has sand or other coarse material embedded therein to roughen the surface thereof and prevent slipping of the trainmen thereon. The layer of plastic material is made as thin as practicable and the raised side margins of the runway sections protect the edges of said material from being injured or raised accidentally.

The portions of the roof ribs between the runway sections 25 are also covered with plastic material 29a which functions as part of the runway. In the construction shown in Fig. 6, the roof ribs are depressed, as at 30, to provide depressed seats for said material; but these depressed seats may be omitted, as shown in Fig. 7.

In the construction'hereinbefore described, the roof sheets and the carlines cooperate in taking care of the usual roof stresses and thus enable the roof to be made of shallow depth; and the manner in which the runway is provided for en- 'ables the roof to be raised substantially to the maximum height above the rails permitted by the .capacityfor the car.

established tunnel. clearance outline, while the cross sectional shape of the roof, along with the features mentioned, provide maximum stowing It is a great advantage of this roof that the sheets are continuous from side plate to side plate and that they require little work to conform them to theestablisned clearance outline. Another advantage is that the end portions'of the roof sheets 'curve down gradually into vertical position and are secured against the side plate by horizontal rivets, thus enclosing the tops of the side plates, guarding against the lodging of cinders and moisture on the sideplates and the end portions of the roof sheets, avoiding the danger of leakage through the bolt holes, and disposing the metal of the sheets to good advantage in resisting the stresses to which it is exposed in service. It is also an advantage of the invention that the roof sheets are not only supported direct y n the side plates but that the eaves portions thereof have wide bearings on the carline brackets. The invention has the special advantage that it is applicable to the replacement of roofs of old cars and makes ,it practicable to increase the capacity of such old cars by substituting new carlines or new carline brackets for those of the old car. Another important advantage is that it provides a runway that occupies a minimum of vertical space and is especially adapted to prevent slipping of the trainmen.

What I claini is: lrA'car roof comprising side plates having an upstanding inner leg and a downwardly extending outer leg, upstanding brackets secured toand extending above said inner legs, and roof sheets extending from side plate to side plate and resting on said brackets and whose ends are rigidly secured fiatwise against the outer legs of said side plates.

2. A car roof comprising side plates having an upstanding inner leg and a downwardly extending outer leg, upstanding brackets secured to and extending above said inner legs, and roof sheets resting on said brackets and whose ends are secured fiatwise against the outer legs of said side plates and said sheets having their longitudinal middle portions depressed for a distance substantially equal to the distance between the brackets on opposite sides of the car.

3. A car roof comprising side plates having an upstanding inner leg and a downwardly extending outer leg, carlines with outwardly and downwardly extending end members secured to said inner legs, the top surfaces of the body portending outer leg, carlines with downwardly extending end members secured to said innerlegs, the top surfaces of the body portions of the carlines being substantially parallel with the established tunnel clearance outline, and roof sheets.

whose side margins rest upon and are secured together'and to the tops of said carlines and the end members thereof, the ends of said sheets being secured fiatwise against the outer legs of said side plates, and said sheets having their longitudinal middle portions depressed fora distance substantially equal to the distance between the members at opposite ends of the carlines. 5. A car roof comprising side plates having an upstanding inner leg and a downwardly extending outer leg, carlines comprising body members and end brackets, the carline brackets being secured to and extending above the inner legs of the side plates and having inwardly extending portions which slope upwardly to form bearings for the roof sheets and terminate in seats for the carline bodies far enough below said hearings to make the tops of said bodies flush with said bearings, the top surfaces of the body portions of the carlines being substantially parallel with the established tunnel clearance outline, and roof sheets whose side margins rest upon and are secured to the tops of said brackets and carline bodies, the ends of said sheets being secured fiatwise against the outer legs of said side plates.

6. A car roof comprising side plates having an upstanding inner leg and a downwardly extending outer leg, carlines with downwardly extending end members secured to said inner legs, the top surfaces of the body portions of the carlines having a long horizontal stretch at the middle, and two straight stretches on each side thereof close to and substantially parallel with the adjacent portions of the established clearance outline,

' said straight stretches being connected by curves opposite the breaks in the clearance outline, and roof sheets extending from side plate to side plate and whose side margins rest upon and are welded together and to the tops of said carlines and end members, the ends of said sheets being secured flatwise against the outer legs of said side plates.

7. A car roof comprising side plates having an upstanding inner leg and a downwardly extending outer leg, carlines with downwardly extending end members secured to said inner legs,

the top surfaces of the body portions of the car-- lines having a long horizontal stretch at the middle, and two straight stretches on each side thereof close to and substantially parallel with the adjacent portions of the established clearance outline, said straight stretches being connected by curves opposite the breaks in the clearance outline, and roof sheets whose side margins rest upon and are secured to the tops of said carlines and whose middle portions are depressed transversely of the roof, the ends of said sheets being secured fiatwise against the outer legs of said side plates, runway sections spanning the depressions, and a layer of plastic material extending along the ridge over the runway sections and side portions of the roof sheets.

8. A car roof comprising side plates having an .upstanding inner leg and a downwardly extending outer leg, carlines with downwardly extending end members secured to said inner legs, the top surfaces of the body portions of the carlines having a long horizontal stretch at the middle, and two straight stretches on each side thereof close to and substantially parallel with the adjacent portions of the established clearance outline, said straight stretches being connected by curves opposite the breaks in the clearance outline, and roof sheets whose side margins rest upon and are secured to the tops of said carlines and whose middle portions are depressed transversely of the roof, the ends of said sheets being secured flatwise against the outer legs of said side plates, runway sections spanningthe depressions at the ridge and a runway of plastic material on said runway sections and the portions of the roof 35 sheets between said sections, the runway sections having raised longitudinal side margins and a longitudinal groove filled with said plastic material.

CHARLES DAVID BONSAI-L. 

